1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an encapsulated electrical component, for example, an encapsulated canister capacitor for use as a starting capacitor with an electrical motor, the encapsulation making the electrical component suitable for use in a submerged environment, for example, in conjunction with an electrical motor which is used to operate a submerged well pump.
2. Description of the Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,895,998 (Bevington) discloses an encapsulated canister-type electrical capacitor assembly for use in conjunction with an electrical motor which is to be used to operate a submerged well pump. The assembly of this reference incorporates a canister-type motor starting capacitor which is made up of suitable electrical components within a cylindrical canister. The canister for a capacitor of this type has a relatively thin, metallic shell. The assembly further has a housing which surrounds and encapsulates the capacitor, the housing being formed from a polymeric material such as polypropylene by molding the polymeric material around the capacitor while the polymeric material is in a pliable state, and then allowing the polymeric material to cool into a substantially rigid shape. In practice, however, the molding of the polymeric material directly against the outer shell of the capacitor can lead to hydraulic deformation of the shell, which can possibly result in a degradation of the electrical properties of the capacitor. Further, in the molding of the polymeric material against the outer shell of the capacitor the polymeric material will normally be at a somewhat elevated temperature during the molding process, and the relatively continuous, surface to surface contact between the polymeric material at its molding temperature and the outer shell of the capacitor can result in an overheating of the capacitor, and this can also result in a degradation of the electrical properties of the capacitor.